


Hell's Kitchen

by FlashBastard



Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Cooking, M/M, Protective Crowley (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 06:50:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20305237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlashBastard/pseuds/FlashBastard
Summary: Crowley learns how to cook so the Reign of Terror incident doesn't happen again





	Hell's Kitchen

After Crowley woke up from his century long nap, he made a decision. He wasn't going to let a repeat of the almost disaster that was Aziraphale during the Reign of Terror happen again. If his angel wanted crepes, he wasn't going to have to put himself in harm's way to try to get them. While Crowley didn't think something like the French Revolution would happen again, he actually kind of hoped it would. Be nice to get another comendation. Either way, he needed to find someone to teach him how to cook properly and the best place to do that was in France. 

Crowley hadn't said anything to Aziraphale as he set up a flat in Paris. He wanted all of this to be a surprise. He actually managed to get a chance to learn under George Auguste Escoffier, which almost no one did unless you had just the right amount of money and Crowley always had just the right amount of money. 

"Why is it that you want me to teach you to cook, monsieur?" George asked as they started to get ready in his kitchen. "Most men of your means have people that do that for them?" 

"I'm not most men." Crowley said with a smile. "I prefer to do the cooking myself. That way I know it hasn't been tampered with." When George raised an eyebrow, Crowley shrugged. "I'm a man who makes enemies." 

"Ah, yes. Of course." George nodded. He could definitely see that. "So, where shall we begin?" 

"Crepes." There was no hesitation when he said it. Crepes were Aziraphale's absolute favorite and it was the one thing he swore he couldn't get decent ones anywhere outside of Paris. Crowley had plans to change that. 

There was a lot of swearing involved in the process of learning how to cook. Crowley had cut himself, burned himself, dropped things on the floor, gotten himself covered in flour and other such ingredients. He was positive that Monsieur Escoffier was only continuing the lessons because of the money that Crowley was paying him. 

"Monsieur, if you think I'm a hopeless cause you can just say it. I won't get angry." He was thinking that himself after all. 

"You are not hopeless Monsieur Crowley, you simply need patience and calm. If you can master that, the rest is facile." He grinned. 

"Right. Patience and calm." Crowley took a few deep breaths, closing his eyes and trying to calm himself. He slowed his heartbeat a bit and just let his whole body relax. Patience and calm. The thing that finally got him to actually calm down was imagining the smile on Aziraphale's face when he presented him with freshly made crepes in his own flat. A little smile tugged at Crowley's lips as he opened his eyes and started cooking. The advice was absolutely right, the rest was very easy. 

Once he learned to calm down and just take his time, let the ingredients do what they needed to do and cook properly, it was all much easier. He learned how to make more than just crepes, of course. He could make a full six course meal if it came down to it. It was as if he'd been cooking his whole life. He wouldn't call any of the things he made perfect but they were good, and he was sure Aziraphale would be happy. 

He didn't really get a chance to cook for the angel after that, though. All the effort he'd gone through had been for naught. When their paths did meet up, it was very brief. Over the next century, Crowley would cook the occasional meal to keep in practice but it was never for Aziraphale. He kept his cooking skills to himself at least for the time being. 

And then the almost end of the world happened and everything seemed to be good again when Adam fixed everything and there really wasn't any reason for Crowley to cook anymore. The chances of another Reign of Terror had dropped significantly. The thing was, Crowley was tired of hiding his cooking ability any longer. 

"Where shall we go for lunch today?" Aziraphale asked as Crowley walked in the door of his shop. Crowley responded simply, pointing to the flat above the shop and starting toward the stairs. 

"I'll call you up when it's ready." He said as he took the stairs two at a time. Aziraphale was far too shocked to even attempt to argue. What was Crowley playing at? He assumed that there would just be a bit of miracling up some food, or that some would be delivered. He was even more surprised to hear the occasional pot and pan being banged around. What was he doing? It was over an hour later before Crowley poked his head over the railing. 

"Soup's on, angel." He said with a grin before going back into the flat. Aziraphale shook his head before heading up himself, wondering what concoction awaited him. He mentally prepared himself to like whatever it was that Crowley had cooked, no matter what it was. When he got upstairs and saw the table covered with food, his eyes widened. It all looked absolutely delicious. There were crepes and croissants and all kinds of other wonderful treats. 

"Crowley....how on earth did you...." He gestured to all of the food. 

"I learned to cook. Didn't get a chance before so I thought I would now." He shrugged and started back into the kitchen to clean up a bit. The food had been made for Aziraphale, after all. 

"When did you learn to cook?" Aziraphale sat down in a chair and surveyed the food laid out before him. It smelled amazing. He took a silver cover off the plate immediately in front of him and found a plate covered in crepes. 

"After my nap." Crowley called back. He knew that Aziraphale would be very upset at the current state of his kitchen. 

"Right." Aziraphale said and he picked up his fork, then he stopped. "Wait.....after your long nap?" 

"Only nap I've had, angel." Crowley chuckled softly. 

"Crowley, that was over a century ago!" Aziraphale got up and went to stand in the doorway to the kitchen. He couldn't help a smile as he watched Crowley in an apron cleaning up the kitchen. 

"Yes, Monsieur Escoffier was a great teacher." He didn't look at Aziraphale. He could actually hear the angel's eyes getting wider. 

"He taught you how to cook?" Aziraphale stepped a little further into the kitchen. "So after your nap, you woke up and got one of the most renowned chefs in all of the world to teach you how to make crepes?" It sounded a little too surreal. "Whatever for?" 

"Didn't want a repeat of the Reign of Terror." Once again, he didn't look at Aziraphale. He didn't want to see that look. Aziraphale stood in the kitchen absolutely speechless. Crowley had learned to cook strictly so that he wouldn't be in harm's way again. So that he wouldn't get caught up in another revolution just for a bite to eat. 

"I....Crowley...." Aziraphale walked over and put a hand on Crowley's shoulder. The demon turned and looked him in the eye, trying not to smile. "Thank you. Really." 

"Shut up." Crowley said affectionately. It was his turn to be shocked when Aziraphale leaned in and kissed him on the lips. 

"I'm going to have to find an interesting way to repay you for this." Aziraphale smiled aand winked before going back into the living room to enjoy his food. Crowley would have told him that he didn't have to repay him but he was looking forward to seeing what the angel came up with. With a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his lips, he went back to cleaning up the kitchen.


End file.
